To obtain a “presidential pardon”… Netanyahu asks Trump for additional support

Two American officials and an Israeli official told Axios yesterday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked US President Donald Trump, during a lengthy phone call the day before yesterday, to provide more support in his efforts to obtain a presidential pardon from Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

The call, which focused mainly on the situations in the Gaza Strip and Syria, touched on Netanyahu’s ongoing trial in “corruption cases,” according to Axios, which noted that Trump had repeatedly interfered in the judicial process and internal politics in Israel to push for an end to this trial.

Last month, the US President sent an official letter to his Israeli counterpart, in which he denounced the accusations against Netanyahu, describing them as “political targeting,” calling on Herzog to pardon him.

Netanyahu sent an official letter to Herzog on Sunday, requesting a pardon that would allow him to focus on Israel’s national security and regional peace agreements.

Herzog stated that he would study Netanyahu’s request after receiving all the necessary legal opinions, a process that could take about two months.

One US official said that Trump told Netanyahu that he believed the pardon “would work,” but did not commit to additional steps. Another US official added: “Netanyahu wants Trump to do more, but the president has done everything he can.”

As for the Israeli official, he pointed out that “Trump was the one who raised the issue of pardon,” and that “the two sides agreed to continue discussing it later.”

During the call, Trump pressured Netanyahu to change his course in Gaza and Syria. American officials said that Trump told Netanyahu that he should be a “better partner” in implementing the peace agreement, while Netanyahu responded that he was doing everything he could.

Trump asked Netanyahu why Israeli forces killed Hamas fighters trapped inside tunnels in areas under Israeli control in Gaza, instead of allowing them to surrender.

Netanyahu replied that they were “armed and dangerous,” according to what the officials reported.

The US administration sought to broker a deal between Israel and Hamas that would grant the besieged fighters amnesty if they surrender, considering that this might constitute a model for disarming the movement.